Sorting machine



C. E. WHITEMAN April 2l, ,1931.

SORTING`MAGHINE Filed March 28, 1928 C. E. WHITEMAN April 21, 1`931.

SORTING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledMaICh 28, 1928 April 21, 1931- c.E. WHITEMAN 1,801,760

`SORTING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 QMM ATTORNEYApril 2l, 1931- c. E. WHITEMAN 1,801,760

SORTING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Charef.'is man Mx (b.

April 21, 1931- c. E. wHlTEMAN 1,801,760

soRTING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR MA Q, M1

Patented Apr. 21', 1931 UNITEn STATES,

lPATENT OFFICE CHARLES E WHITEIMAN, OF RICHMOND HILL, NEW YORK,ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, '1.30 LANGFOBD SALES AUDIT MACHINECOMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSA- CHUSETTS. A CORPORATION 0F MASSACHUSETTS iSORTING MACHINE Application led March 28, 1928. Serial No. 265,490.'

This invention relates to sorting methods and machines and moreparticularly to means for severing tickets, or slips from folded stripmaterial and analyzing index point locations and perforations thereonand sorting the severed tickets, though it is noted that the inventionis not limited to analyzing or severing of slips or tickets, nor insome' respects to sort.

gOne object of the invention is to provide an apparatus or device ofthis kind for sorting tickets in strip form or separate tickets.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus or device forcutting apart folded tickets and eliminating the fold and. forsimultaneously cutting and analyzing the tickets.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus or device ofthis kind in which the face of the ticket is visible While sorting.

Other objects of the invention are to improve generally the simplicityand efliciency of such machines and methods and to provide acontinuously acting machine of this kind which is economical, durable,reliable and substantially noiseless, in operation, and economical tomanufacture.

Still other objects of the invention Will appear as the descriptionproceeds; and While herein details of the invention are described andclaimed, the invention is not limited'to these, since many and variouschanges may be made Without departing from the scope of the invention asclaimed in the broader claims.

' rlhe inventive features for the accomplishment of these and otherobjects are shown herein in connection with an improved sorting machineor apparatus which, brieiy stated, includes record supply means foreither strips of perforated tickets later to be cut apart and a supplymeans for previously severed tickets, adapted to be analyzed anddistributed to a series of stations. An intermittentfeed and dischargemeans between lthe supply means and stations pass the tickets to andfrom an analyzer plate located at the.

discharge means and provided with analyzer holes. A reciprocatory pinbox over the analyzer plate carries analyzer pins adapted to passthrough ticket perforations and project from analyzer holes to analyzethe tickets and also carries a Wide knife having tvvoedges engageablewith suitable ixed cutting edges for cutting tickets from the strip.

A yieldably projected reciprocatory sensing plate adapted to be stoppedin different positions by projected analyzer pins, controls a selectorguide chute pivoted on a transverse axis at the end of the .analyzerplate, whereby the guide chute is given different positions adjacent tomeans providing a plurality of guide slots with which said chute mayselectively register. Rotating grooved vertical pulleys are located oneach side oi said series, at each station, the rst pair having groovesat levels between the slots. Said pulleys carry superposed horizontalbelts all extending from the first pulleys, the two uppermost beltsterminating at the most remote station, each next lower belt terminatingone Station nearer the analyzer, whereby tickets passing throughrespective slots are. caught by superposed belts and conveyedY tocorresponding stations.

In addition to sorting the tickets, the above described machine isadapted or feeding a strip of ticket material comprising perforatedtickets from a pack folded in the form of a fan-told having the sheetfolded in zigzag fashion forming folded creases between the tickets. Themachine is adapted for simultaneously analyzing tickets and severingthem 'from the strip by cutting from the strip a narrow transverseportionlincluding the fold whereby the disadvantage of a crease on theticket is avoided.

While herein the perforated Slips are reierred to as tickets, it isunderstood that this term refers to any kind of sheet having folds orany form of object having any orm o index points thereon which may beanalyzed.

In the accompanying drawing showing, n y Way of example, one of manypossible embodime nts of the invention, A

Fig. l is a fragmental side elevation of the sorting machine;

Fig. 2 is a ragmental plan of the machine;

Fig. 8 is a ragmental transverse vertical sectional view, partly inelevation and on an enlarged scale, showing parts of the analyzer, thesection being taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in the directionof the arrow of said line;

Fig. 4 is a fragmental transverse vertical sectional view, being mostlyin elevation, showing the selecting guide chute, the section being takenon the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows ofsaid line;

Fig. 5 is a fragmental longitudinal vertical sectional view, partly -inelevation, showing the guide chute and selecting means therefor, thesection being taken on a line passing through the sensing plate;

Fig. 6 is a fragmental plan showing the slide and sensing plates;

Fig 7 is a fragmental plan showing severed tickets; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmental perspective view showlng the tickets, magazineguide wall and knife.

My improved sorting machine is carried in and by a casing comprising anelongated base 10, upstanding plates or side walls 12 and 13 (Fig. 3)disposed over the side edges of the base, and supported thereon at themagazine end and provided at the upper part of the front wall with anextension 14 (Figs. 1 and 2) over the distributing end of the base. Endwalls 15 and 16 are secured to said side walls and extensions.

Transverse partitions 17 and 18 on the base secured to said extensionsform card stations or compartments 20 and 21, usually five to eleven innumber, slightly less than the width of the tickets to be sorted, thestations 20 being the usual distribution compartments, the

` inner compartment 21 being the reject compartment.

A ticket or card magazine 25 disposed across the opposite end of thecasing comprises base members 26 (Figs. 1, 2 and 8) end walls 27 formingupright front corner flanges mem 28, and upright rear corner members 29adapted to receive the corners of the cards lyingohorizontally in themagazine. The rear ers 29 are hinged at 30 at the lower part, to belowered to form a guide way for a strip 31 of tickets 32 fed from afolded pack 33 placed in a holder 34 at the rear of the machine.

A reciprocatory picker member 35 is slidable under the tickets andcarries a picker blade 36 projecting above its rear part adapted as'thepicker reciprocates to engage the rear edge of the lowest ticket toproject said ticket forwardly through a micrometer throat slot 37provided at the forward side of the lower part of the magazine.

A shaft 40 (Fig. 1) passing through the casing carries a bellcrank tothe upper arm 41 on which is pivoted a link 42 linking said arm to theintermediate part of a picker lever 43 having its active end pivoted atthe lower the rolls.

part of the picker block. Said bellcrank 41 carries rollers 45 on itsarms engaging picker cams 46 carried on a main cam shaft 47 (Fig. 3)mounted in the side walls of the casing, and driven by a longitudinalpower shaft -48 connected thereto by a worm 49 and worm wheel 50 and inturn driven by a belt connecting a pulley 51 (Fig. 3) with a suitablemotor, whereby said picker block is reciprocated to project previouslycut tickets forwardly.

A pair of main feed roll shafts 53, 54 (Fig. 1) passinor transverselythrough the easing near and forward of the picker are each provided withan end spur gear 55 o eratively connected with each other by an id er 56and rotated by an idler 57 rotated by a gear 58 on the cam shaft.

Semi-circular feed and discharge rolls 60, 61, (Figs. 1 and 3), at theends of the main feed roller shafts, have each a cut-awaysemicircumference and a projected knurled semieircumferential feed face62, said feed faces boing timed to be uppermost at the same time.

An initial feed roll shaft 64l between the first main shaft and thepicker and driven by gears 55, 66, carries three initial feed rolls 65over which are disposed a feed plate 67 (Fig. 2) extending also abovethe first main feedV shaft and provided with openings for A pair ofbrackets 69 on said plate carry lifting levers 70 (Fig. 2)intermediately fulcrumed on said brackets and having forwardly projectedmotive ends 71 and active ends over said initial shaft carrying areleasing shaft 72 over the initial shaft provided with pressure rolls73 pressing over the initial rollers. Said brackets also carry a pair ofdownwardly spring or gravity-pressed short levers 75 carrying pressurerolls 76 pressing down over the first semi-circular rolls 60.

An analyzer plate (Fig. 2) over the second semi-circular rolls 61 isprovided with a series of analyzer holes 81 along its discharge edge andcarries brackets 82 carrying spring or gravity pressed levers 83carrying pressure rolls 84 pressing over the second semi-circular rolls61,

Guide posts 86 mounted on each end of the analyzer plate slidablyreceive a pin boX 87 comprising a top plate 88 (Fig. 3), and a frame 89the latter having end members having vertical bores 90 received on theposts.

The said plates 67 and 80 are slightly spaced from eachother to form aknife slot 94 (Figs. 2 and 5) provided with hardened edge members 95both forming cutting edges between which engages a" knife 96 (Figs. 3and 8) secured and provided with a slanting lower face having two knifeedges 98 engageable with said edge members 95 respectively when the pinbox is lowered thereby to cut out the fold 99 between the sections ofthe ticket strip.

The ends of the knife are provided with end guides `movable in the slot94, and with vertical slots 101 receiving the forward ends of saidmotive arms 71 (Fig. 1) for lifting the initial rollers, against theaction of gravity, when the pin box is lowered. v

Stub shafts 103 (Fig. 3) in the ends of the box pivotally receive theupper ends of downwardly extended analyzing links 104 pivoted at theirlower ends to a transverse rod 105 (Fig. 1) carried fast on the freeends of lower arms 107 of analyzing bell crank levers 106 having theirelbow parts fulcrum on said' shaft 40, said cranks carrying rollers 108on the intermediate part of the lower long arm and the upper part of theupper arm 109, the rollers eing engaged by analyzer cams 110 on thepower shaft, whereby the analyzer box is reciprocated.

Rearwardly projected brackets (Fig. 1) on the. rear of the pin box anddownwardly projected bosses 116 (Fig. 3) on vthe top plate 88 near thedischarge edge of the pin box are provided with vertical bores in whichare slidably mounted locating pins 117 provided with downwardly pointedheads 118 engageable in large locating perforations 119 (Fig. 7) incorners of adjacent tickets to locate the tickets before cuttin off bythe knife 96. Springs 120 (Fig.` 3) compressed between the heads andbracket 115 or boss 116 permit the heads to yield as the knife lowers tocutting position, the upper end of the pins being staked to hold them inwhen the box rises.

A plurality of pillars 124 pending from the forward part of the topplate carry a pin plate 125 secured on their lower ends. Said pin plateand the forward part of the top plate are provided with series ofvertically axially alined analyzer pin holes 126, 127 slidably receivinganalyzerpins 128 each adapted to feel index point locations 129 (Fig. 7)on a ticket and if a perforation 130 is found to pass through and, underthe action of springs 131, to project through the analyzer holes of theanalyzer plate as the pin box is lowered. The index point locations 129are shown as provided with designations 132 relating toaccounts but theinvention is in no way4 limited -to these.

Undercut trackways 135 (Fig. 3) mounted across the ends of the lowerface of the analyzer plate carry a slide plate 136 slidably mountedbetween and supported by said trackways and carrying a sensing plate 138(Figs. 5 and 6) mounted on the forward end of the slide plate and havingits forward.

edge projecting and stepped to form gressively retracted stop edges 139,140, edges 140 being adapted to engage and to be stopped by acorresponding analyzer pin 128 if projected through the analyzer plate,the edge 139 being stopped by a fixed peg 141 if no pin is projected.

A pair of brackets 143 on the lower face of the trackways carries a rockshaft 144 carrying a pair of spaced sectors 145 mounted at their apex onsaid shaft and having deep pointed teeth 146 (Fig. 5) at the periphery.A pair of short levers 147 are intermediately mounted on the rock shaftagainst said sectors and havin slots 148 in their upper ends receiving apin 148 fast in spaced ears 149 of a bracket 150 provided in its frontedge with a horizontal slot 151 receiving and mounted fast on the innermargin of a recess 152 (Fig. 6) in the rear edge of the slide plate,whereby when the sector is rocked the sensing plate is reciprocated.4 j

A sensing lever 153 (Fig. 5) fulcrumed at its lower end on a bracket 154on said base and Vloosely pivoted at its upper end 155 to and betweenthe sectors is provided with a spring 156 tending to retract the lever,and is intermediately provided with a roller 157 engageable with asensing cam 158 on the cam shaft 47 for thrusting the sensing leverforward and thereby retracting the sensing plate when the ana andpermitting the sensing lever to be retracted under the influence of thespring, after an analyzer pin has been projected through perforations ofthe ticket and analyzer plate, until the sensing plate engages theprojected pin and is stopped in a' selected position depending uponwhich pin is proj ected and consequently which stop edge 140 is engaged.

An upright bracket 160 fast on the transverse rod 105 carries a locatingand retaining pin 161 projecting laterally from the upper end of thebracket and engageable behind a tooth 146 while the pin box is raised tohold the sector in selecting position until the ticket is fed from theanalyzer as will be explained.

A pair of brackets'164 (Fig. 1) outwardly offset on the side walls v12have alined bores 165 (Fig. 4), just forward of the analyzer plate,receiving inwardly pointed alined short shafts 166 pivotally supportinga selector guide member 167 having alined end bores receiving said shortshafts 166. Said guide member is formed with a guide chute 170 (Fig. 5)extending across the end of the analyzer plate 80v more than the lengthof a ticket and having a forwardly tapering vertical cross sectionproviding a narrow forward discharge chute 171 and a wide inlet 172along the axis of the guide member or yzer pins are retracted.

just forward of the discharge edge 173 of guide member carry a rollershaft 179 proi jecting at one end and having a pinion 180 on that end,and provided intermediately with discharge rollers 181 projecting intothe guide chute. A gear 182 (Figs. 2 and 4) on one of said short shafts166 meshes with said pinion 180 and with an idler 184 fast on a shaft185 in the adjacent side wall 12. Said shaft 185 carries another pinion186 meshing with the gear 55 on the shaft 54 whereby the dischargerollers are continuously rotated. Pairs of ears 188 (Fig. 4) on thelower face of the guide pivotally carry elbow lever brackets 189 eachpivoted at its elbow part between one of the pairs of ears and having aforked active arm 190 (Fig. 5) and a downwardly projected motive arm191.

A tension spring 192 tensioned between said motive arm and a rod 193carried in the arm 175 causes pressure rolls 195 journaled between themembers of the active arm 190 to be pressed against said discharge rolls181 for clearing from the chute tickets delivered thereto from theanalyzer.

A plurality of horizontal guide slats 197 (Figs. 1, 2 and 5) disposedone above the other between the inner ends of said extensions 14 havepointed edges 198 (Fig. 5) adjacent to the path of the discharge slot171, whereby are formed a plurality of horizontal guide slots 200 havingflaring receiving ends with which said discharge slot Will register whenin said selected positions respectively, whereby the selector guide slotmay selectively guide the tickets into one of said horizontal slots 200depending upon which analyzer pin 81 is projected. If no pin isprojected as when there is no perforation in the ticket, the sensingplate engages the peg 141 and the ticket is delivered to the lowest slot201 and the discard compartment 21.

Upper and lower inwardly1 projected supporting anges 205 (Figs. 1 and 2)formed on the inner face of said extensions 14 carry a plurality ofvertical shafts 206, 207 mounted in said anges at each end of thecompartment division walls toward the analyzer, the shafts 207 next tothe slots being belt drive shafts and downwardly extended between thefirst compartment 21 and the analyzer and having a miter gear 208 (Fig.l) thereon near the level of the main cam shaft.

A bearing bracket 209 on the transverse wall of the casing receives thebelt drive shafts; and a pair of brackets 210 on the base carry atransverse shaft 212 thereon having miter gears 213 meshing with thegears 208 of the pulleydrive shafts, whereby the latter are constrainedto rotate in unison.

A longitudinal shaft 215 and miter gears 216, 217 form a connectionbetween the shafts 207, 212 and the main cam shaft 47, whereby both beltdrive shafts are rotated.

Grooved pulleys 4220, 221 (Fig. 2) are carried on said vertical shafts206, 207, the drive pulleys 221 on the drive shafts 207 having grooves222 (Fig. l) at the level of and equal in number to the number of theslats and one more than the number of boxes, the number of grooves ofthe other pulleys being, if desired, progressively one less as thepulleys are more remote from the analyzer, the grooves being, as shown,omitted from the lower ends of the pulleys, the outer end pulleys (notshown) having two grooves each.

Superjacent horizontally disposed coriveyor belts 225, 226, 227, 228 aredisposed along said extensions on said pulleys, the belts 225 extendingfrom the drive pulleys to the most remote pulley groove of the samelevel and side of the machine, whereby tards projected through saidslots are frictionally held at both edges between adjacent superposedbelts and areconveyed along and above the series of compartments.

The two uppermost belts 225 terminate at the near side of the mostremote compartment to discharge tickets therein, each next lower beltterminating one compartment nearer the analyzer and discharges ticketstherein. Thus the belts 226- and 227 terminate over the third and secondcompartments respectively and deposit tickets engaged above themselvesinto such compartments respectively. The bottommost belt constitutes aring around the lowest groove of the drive pulley and thereforeterminates at the near side of the first compartment and depositingtickets therein.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

The machine is designed to sort previously cut tickets, or tickets cutfrom strips as illustrated in Fig. 3, the tickets being sorted afterthey have been cut into separate cards.

To load the machine with strip tickets, the magazine is opened as shownin Fig. 8, and the fan-foldpack 33 is placed in the holder 34, and oneend of the strip is pushed through the magazine throat slot 37 to thefirst set of`rolls 65, 73 (Fig. 1) where the strip will be picked up bythe rollers at the proper time and carried forward in the machine.

If previously cut tickets are used they are placed in the magazine whilethe magazine is in the position of Fig. 1 and said tickets are fed tothe rolls 65, 73 in the usual manner.

The strip of tickets or a single ticket will be carried toward the knife96 after each upward stroke of the knife, at which time the rolls 73have been released from the knife (as shown in Figs. 1 and 2) andpermitted to bear down by gravity upon the initial rolls 63, causing thestrip to be moved to the semi-circular feed rolls 60. 1t will be seenfrom Figs. 1 and 2 thatv the eut-away portions of the semi-circularrolls andthe 'ticket forward a distance to equal the width of oneticket. The tickets will then come to rest with their edges under theknife, and the knife starts down, lifting the rolls 73 ofl' the tickets;and before the knife touches the ticket, the locating pin heads 11,8(Fig. 3) enter j the holes 119 (Fig. 7) in the ticket strip and positionthe strip accurately and hold it in place while the cutting takes place,cutting out a narrow strip with the ticket fold therein. If previouslycut tickets are used the operation is the same except that no severingwill take place.

After the edge of the ticket has been thus trimmedolf the strip will beadvanced the distance of another ticket, bringing the first ticket underthe pin box.l

As the strip ticket has been brought under 0 the pin boxV and the pinbox lowered, the

tickets will be positioned by the second pair of heads 118 and the firstand second tickets will be severed by the knife at the same time ananalyzing pin 128 will go through a perforation 130 that has beenperforated in the ticket, and the timing of the machine is such that thepin will dwell for a time sufficient to allow the sensing plate 138(Fig. 6) to be moved tothe pin.

The sensing cam 158 (Fig. 5) is located on the central portion of themain cam shaft 47 and is timed to give a smooth and noiseless action tothe sensing plate, since the springv as above stated, and then the camlobe gradually recedes from-the roller 157 allowing the spring 156 toslowly pull the, link and sector back,: causing the sensing plate tomove towards the projected pin, until the sensing plate is stopped withan edgeI 140 in contact with the analyzing pin.

As there is possible only one hole in e'ach ticket to be sorted, thenonly one sensing pin will come through; and as the stepped sensing plateis moved to such pin, the sector also will be moved and' come to restina position determined by an edge 140 of the vsensing plate. If no holehas been found by the sensing pins, then the sensing plate will stop ata stationary peg 141 located under the sensing base plate, and thesensing plate will be stop ed by its last edge 139.

AS tie sector Ais moved to one of these stepped positions the locatingorretaining rod 1s brought up against the rear of a tooth 146, and holdsthe sector in the selected position, and as the sector is connected, bythe link 176, to the selecting guide member 167 the latter will also beregistered in accurate position to deliver a ticket in the proper slot200, 201 and thence to the belt conveyor.

As the retaining rod 161 is carried by the rod 105, the rod 161 israised when the pin box is raised.

The timing of the pin box analyzin cams is such that when the pin boxand ana yzing pins have been raised approximately of an inch, the rod161 is moved a distance suincient to engage a tooth of the sector andhold the sector from retraction, until the pin box has been brought downagain.4 If, when the pin box comes down, the previous lowering actionhad set the guide member 167, sector 145 and plate 138 to a forwardposition, a sensing pin about to go through a perforation in the'ticketand the analyzer plate, will come down on top of the sensing plate138and be stopped until the sensing plate has time t0 move back, atwhich time the sensing pin will drop to its projected position under theaction of the spring 131.

As the pin box isbrought down and the sensing plate moved against ananalyzing' pin, and the movement of sensing plate and sector 145 set theguide member 167 to deliver a ticket through a slot 200 to the belts,the pin box then returns to its upward position, and immediately thetickets are advanced forward by the semi-circular rolls 60, 61 (Fig. 1)the distance of one ticket and the operation is then re eated. While thetickets are being thus a vanced the retaining rod 161 (Fig. 5) holds thesector 145 and consequently the discharge edge 171 of the guide memberin selected position until it is cleared by the rolls 181, 195.

The machine is .so designed to give the ticket passing through the chute170, 171 time to pass completely through, before the guide member willbe set for the next ticket.

As the ticket passes through the chute 170 and into the slots 200, 201its outside edges will be carried between opposite adjacent4 belts.These belts run continuously slightly faster than the rolls and carrythe ticket to its designated box. y

While Figs. 7 and 8 show five designations for holes in the ticket, theinvention is in no way limited to ve. Figs. 1 and 5 showl six slots 200,201 for tickets, one of which, slot 201, may be used for reject ticketsor tickets withoutv holes. The first box 21 is the reject box. If aticket comes through with no hole the sensing plate will stop againstthe peg 141 and the ticket chute 17 0 will be registered with the lowestguide groove 201. The ticket is then passed through the groove andbetween the lower set of belts 227, 228 and therefore will drop theticket immediately to the box 21, which is slightly forward and beneaththese belts.

Referring to Fig-s. 1 and 2 it will be noteol the belts for conveyingthe tickets act as a pair of long fingers engaging both edges of thetickets, while the ticket is being conveyed to its compartment. It willalso be noted that succeeding pairs of pulleys are spaced a distanceapart equal to the width of one box, which will permit the tickets to bedropped. As the belts which have been conveying a card reach the end ofthe lower belt, the Agrasping action upon the two edges of the ticketwill be broken, as the lower belt revolves around its last pulley; andthe forward part of the cardwhich then becomes suspended after leavingthe lower belt comes into contact with a stop piece 230 (Fig. 1)

'just above the far side of each partition 18.

This will stop the ticket with its advanced edge at the top of thepartition and permit the ticket to fall into its compartment as theusual follower on spring-supported platform 231 supported on thevertically slidable rod 232 and held yieldably raised by the springs233. The tickets therefor will stack upon these platforms in thepreviously selected compartment.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, sheet supply means; a series of compartments; feedand discharge rolls between the supply means and compartments; initialfeed rolls lbetween the feed rolls and the supply means; a feed plateabove the initial and feed rolls and provided with openings for therolls; lifting levers intermediately fulcrumed over said plate;releasable pressure rolls on said levers pressing over the initialrolls; and an analyzer comprising a perforated plate over the dischargerolls and a vertically reciprocatory pin box having yieldable pinsadapted to be projected through the plate; and means on said box foractuating said levers.

2. A method comprising feeding a strip of ticket material havingperforated tickets, the strip being folded in the form of a fan-foldpack having the sheet folded in zig-zag fashion forming folded creasesbetween the tickets; simultaneously analyzing the end ticket andsevering the end ticket from the strip by cutting from Ythe strip anarrow transverse portion including the crease; and then distributingthe tickets in accordance with the analysis.

3. In combination, record supply means for folded strips; a series ofstations; intermittent feed and discharge means between the supply meansand stations; a feed plate and an analyzer plate at the feed anddischarge means; a reciprocatory analyzer pin box over the analyzerplate; said plates being slightly spaced from each other to form a iknife slot provided with hardened edge poirtions, both forming cuttingedges and a knife secured at the receiving edge of the box and providedwith a slanting lower face having two knife edges engageable with saidcutting edges respectively when the pin box is lowered thereby to cutout the fold between the sections of the strip.

4. In combination, sheet supply ineans' a series of compartments;initial feed rolls etween the apparatus and the supply means; liftinglevers intermediately fulcrurned over said plate; pressure rolls on theactive arms of said levers pressing over the initial rolls; an analyzerbetween the initial rolls and compartments comprising a verticallyreciproca? tory pin box; and a knife across the receiving edge of thepin box; the ends of the knife being provided with vertical slotsreceiving the forward ends of the motive arms of said levers for liftingthe initial rollers when the pin box is lowered.

5. In combination, perforated-sheet stripsupply means; an analyzercomprising a perforated plate and a vertically reciprocatory pin boxIhaving yieldable pins adapted to be projected through the plate; meansfor feeding and guiding the strip to the analyzer; means for cuttingofi' portions of the strips While analyzing; and yieldable locating pinsmounted in said box provided with downwardly pointed heads engageable inlocating perforations in the sheets to locate the portions beforecutting ofi".

6. In combination, a series of stations; an analyzer comprising aperforated plate and a pin box having yieldable pins adapted to beprojected through the plate; discharge means for the analyzer;reciprocatory sensing member adapted to be stopped in selectingpositions by the pins; selector guide movable at the discharge end ofthe analyzer and positioned by said sensing member in selectedpositions; and means for conducting sheets from said positions to therespective stations.

7. In combination, a series of stations; an analyzer comprising aperforated analyzer plate and a pin box having yieldable pins adapted tobe projected through the plate; sheet feed and discharge means for theanalyzer; undercut trackways mounted across the ends of the lower faceof the analyzer plate; a slide plate mounted between and supported bysaid trackways; a sensing plate mounted on the forward end of the slideplate and having its forward end projecting and stepped to formprogressively retracted stop edges each adapted to engage and to bestopped by a corresponding pin if projected through the analyzer plate;selector guide pivoted at the discharge end of the analyzer andoperatively connected to and positioned by said slide plate in selectedpositions; and means for conducting sheets from said positions to therespective stations".

8. In combination, a series of stations; an

analyzer comprising a perforated plate and pins adapted to be projectedlthrough perforations of sheets and the plates; a sensing plate slidablymounted beneath the plate and having its forward end stepped to fornistop edges to engage and to stop by a j 'n-ojected pin; a sectorpivotally mounted at its apex beneathv the sensing plate; a short leversecured to said sector and having a loose connection with the sensingplate; a sensing lcver loosely pivoted tothe sector, `a spring tendingto retract the sensing lever; a sensing cam for thrusting the sensinglever forward and retracting the sensing plate, the spring causing thesensing plate to engage the projected pin as the lever is retracted bythe spring; a selector guide pivoted atthe discharge side of theanalyzer and connected to said sector thereby to be positioned by saidpins in selected positions; and means for conducting sheets from theguide in -aid position to the respective stations.

9. In combination, a series of stations; an analyzer comprising pinsadapted to be projected through perforations of sheets; a yieldablyprojected reciprocatory sensing plate adapted to be stopped in differentpositions by projected analyzer pins; a selector guide pivoted on atransverse axis at the end of the analyzer plate; means connec ing" saidsensing plate with the guide whereby the guide is given differentpositions; and means for conducting sheets from the guide in saidpositions to the respective stations.

10.A An apparatus comprising a series of stations; an analyzercomprising pins adapted to be projected through perforations of sheets;a yieldably projected reciprocatory sensing plate vadapted to be stoppedin different positions lby projected pins; a selector guide chutepivoted on a transverse axis at the end of the analyzer plate; meansconnecting said sensing plate with the chute whereby the guide `chute isgiven different positions; means providing guide slots with which saidchute may register selectively; means for holding the chute in saidpositions while the pins are retracted; and means for con@ ductingsheets from said slots to the respective stations.

11. In combination, a series of compart,

ments having division walls therebetween;

l an analyzer comprising pins adapted to be projected throughperforations of sheets; selector guide pivoted at the discharge of theanalyzer; means whereby the movement of said selector guide isselectively controlled by the projection of one of said pins;Jtransverse guide slots forming horizontal guide slots with which saiddischarge chute is adapted to register selectively in said positionsrespectively; vertical shafts at the ends of the division walls, theshaft next to the slots being drive shafts; grooved pulleys on saidshafts, the 4pulleys on 'the drive shafts having grooves at the level ofthe slots; superthe next remote compartment, each next lower beltterminating one compartment nearer the analyzer.

12. A n apparatus comprising a base, and inner, outer` andside wallsthereon, the inner wall having a throat at the lower part, the outerwall having corner flanges and being hinged at the lower corners to belowered to form a horizontal sheet strip guide way; an analyzer forsensing index point locations on the strip; means for feeding the stripfrom the throat to the analyzer; means for cuting the strip to sheets;and a sorting mechanism controlled by the analyzer for sorting thesheets.

13. An apparatus comprising means for feeding a strip of material foldedin zig-zag fashion forming folded creases between the tickets; ananalyzer for analyzing index point locations on the strip between thecreases; and means for severing portions from the strip by cutting out anarrow transverse portion including the crease.'

14. An apparatus comprising. means for cutting a strip of ticketmaterial folded in zig-zag fashion forming folded creases between thetickets, said means comprising a pair of plates slightly spaced apartand both provided with cutting edges and a knife having a wide lowerface having two knife edges engageable with said cutting edgesrespectively; an analyzer for analyzing index point locations on thestrip between said creases; and sorting means controlled by the analyzerfor sorting the pieces of strip formed by the cutting.

15. A method comprising feeding a strip of perforated ticket materialfolded in zigzag fashion forming folds between the tickets;simultaneously analyzing the end ticket .and Severin@r it' from the strib cutting out s .V n

a narrow transverse portion including the fold; and sorting the severedportions under the control of the analysis.

16. An apparatus comprising means for feeding a strip of ticket materialinitially folded in zig-zag fashion producing folded creases between thetickets, means for analyzing index point locations on the strip betweenthe creases, means for severing tickets from the'strip by cutting out anarrow transverse portion including the crease, and means for sortingthe tickets.

17. An apparatus comprisingl feeding means for a strip of ticketmaterial having transverse fold crease lines between the ticketportions, an analyzer, means operable simultaneously with the operationof the analyzer for cutting a narrow transverse portion including thecrease linefrom said strip to divide a ticket therefrom, a series ofrealso controlled by the analyzer, a plurality of superposed platesspaced to form guide ceiving stations, and a plurality of conveyor meansfor selectively delivering the tickets to said stations.

18. An apparatus comprising feeding means for a strip of ticketmaterial, having transverse fold crease lines between the ticketportions, an analyzer, means controlled by the analyzer for cutting outa narrow transverse portion including a crease line from the strip todivide a ticket therefrom, a series of ticket receiving stations, aplurality of conveyor means for selectively delivering the tickets tosaid stations, an adjustable guide spaces, said conveyor means includingendless belts in horizontal alinement with said guide spaces.

19. An apparatus comprising means for feeding a strip of ticket materialhaving transverse fold crease lines between the ticket portions, ananalyzer, a sensing device having reciprocatory movements thereunder, aselector guide chute, meansconnecting the sensing device with the chuteto maintain the latter in selective positions, a plurality ofhorizontally superposed spaced plates arranged back of said chuteproviding guides for the tickets, endles belts in horizontal alinementwith the guides, and means for severing tickets from said strip bycutting out a narrow ltransverse portion including the fold creaselines.

20. An apparatus comprising means for feeding a strip of ticket materialhaving transverse fold crease lines between the ticket portions, andindex perforations between the crease lines, an analyzer, a rockablechute at the delivery end of said analyzer, yieldingly engaged feedrollers operative centrally of said chute, a sensing device cooperablewith the analyzer for determining the rocking movements of said chute,transverse guide slats forming horizontal guide slots with which saidchute is adapted to selectively register, means for severing the saidstrip by removing a narrow portion including the fold crease to producea ticket, a series of receiving stations and means registering with theguide slots for selectively conveying the tickets to said stations.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this27th day of March, A. D. 1928.

CHARLES E. WHITEMAN.

